What A Stadium Can Bring To A City

High Point City Council approved a plan for a $30 million multi-use stadium. It won't cost taxpayers a cent, but the major development in the heart of high point is getting plenty of mixed reaction.

Some people think the money should be used for something else, while others say this is a good way to stimulate High Point's economy.

Over time this is going to help the rest of us because it's going to stabilize the downtown, stabilize the tax base in the area," explains Randy Hemann, High Point's Assistant City Manager.

Greensboro is a testament to that. The Grasshoppers draw in more than 500,000 people every year. The stadium opened up in 2005 and now more than a decade later, there's new apartments, restaurants, breweries all popping up in the downtown area.

"Oh, it's flourished," explains Zack Matheny, President and CEO of Downtown Greensboro, Inc. "To have the ball park downtown, to have that center, that anchor. It widens our downtown. We're finally seeing the fruits of it with the $60 million investment, but also it's just the bodies."

The $60 million project Matheny is talking about the new hotel being built across the street from the stadium. He says in 2016 there was $168 million invested into downtown alone. In 2017, he says they're in talks to bring in $250 million in investments.

Winston-Salem has seen a similar trend. BB&T Stadium opened up for games in 2010 and now it brings in more than 200,000 people every year. The city has seen more economic development.